Minnesota has finally decided to say goodbye to Matt Capps, declining his $6 million option for 2013 and paying the 29-year-old right-hander a $250,000 buyout.

That ends one of the more head-scratching love affairs in recent memory, as the Twins gave up Wilson Ramos to get Capps from the Nationals in mid-2010 and then paid him about $13 million for what turned out to be a total of 122 innings with a 3.61 ERA and 5.4 strikeouts per nine frames.

Capps is a perfectly solid setup man when healthy, but he’s an example of the folly behind labeling someone a “proven closer” based on save totals and he’ll likely have to settle for a modest one-year deal while coming back from shoulder problems.

Funny if the Nats signed him too and do it again with another team. He could definitely relieve some of Clippards innings and join an already strong bullpen. Doubtful since our young players pitched well out of the bullpen but not out of the realm of possibilites.

Hope Rizzo doesn’t repeat his signing of Brad Lidge. They have several RH relievers already and, as usual, there should be a glut of relievers on the market. Rizzo should be able to add depth with a reliever of two who are better, and less expensive, than Capps.